NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS ()

by

CURT EISNER

A revision of the material belonging to the genus Erebia Dalman in the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie at Leiden, mainly based on the "Monograph of the genus Erebia" by B. C. S. Warren (London, 1936), induced me to describe a number of new subspecies and aberrations, and to make some remarks on forms already described. The greater and most important part of the material is to be found in the Mezger collection, which is kept separate. It has always been indicated with the types, if they are to be found in that collection ; all other types are included in the general collection of Lepidoptera of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historic Descriptions and remarks are following here in systematic order, ac­ cording to Warren's system. Erebia eriphyle (Frr.) subsp. tristis H.­S. ab. secundo-tertiopunctata nov. ab. The typical eriphyle possesses two black spots on the forewing; specimens deviating in this respect were described as ab. tripunctata Hoffm. with three spots, and as ab. impunctata Höfn. without black spots. One of the spec­ imens in hand, from Reichenstein, Styria, and consequently belonging to the subsp. tristis H.­S., shows the two hindmost black spots of the ab. tripunctata Hoffm., but the foremost spot is lacking. I propose the name secundo-tertiopunctata nov. ab. for this aberration. Holotype: ♂, Reichenstein, 15 VII 1923, in the Mezger collection. Erebia manto (Schiff. & Dennis) subsp. osmanica Schaw. ab. subtus- lutescens nov. ab., and ab. bubastis nov. ab. In his excellent monograph of the genus Erebia Warren writes that the ♀♀ °f the subspecies osmanica Schaw.—Schawerda did not describe the ♀ himself—do not show a bright submarginal band on the underside of the hindwing. This statement is borne out by the greater part of the specimens which I have examined from the typical locality, "Trebevic". Here the bands 272 CURT EISNER are reduced and they do not contrast much with the ground­colour. Two ♀♀, however, show a distinct submarginal band, the first a lemon­yellow one : ab. subtus-lutescens nov. ab. Holotype: ♀, Trebevic, 21 VII 1927, Dr. Bath, Halle a.S., in the Mezger collection. The second distinctly banded ♀ shows a pure white band: ab. bubastis nov. ab. Holotype : ♀, Trebevic, VII 1929, Dr. Bath, Halle a. S., in the Mezger collection. These deviations agree with those of E. manto (Schiff. & Dennis), respectively of the subsp. mantoides (Esp.), described under the same names. Erebia flavofasciata Heyne subsp. thiemei Bartel. Contrary to Warren I consider the Engadine specimens as a good sub­ species, because all the specimens in hand show the same development, namely the tendency to reduction of the bands and of the black spots. In none of the 28 Engadine specimens which I examined, the bands and spots have developed as much as in the type of the species from Campolungo Pass. The f. warreni Vty. is a local form of this race, which shows the tendency to reduction in extreme measure. Erebia epiphron (Knoch) subsp. silesiana M.­D. ab. privata nov. ab. In a cf from the Altvater, the typical locality of this race, the otherwise rich bands of the forewing are reduced to separate brown­red spots enclosing the black pupils. The bands of the hindwing are nearly extinguished. The black spots have decreased ; the ground­colour is lighter. Holotype : çf, Altvater, in the Mezger collection. Erebia epiphron (Knoch) subsp. orientpyrenaica subsp. nov. After comparing the series in hand: 28 specimens from the Vosges, among which cotypes of the subsp. vogesiaca Goltz (syn. of subsp. mackeri Fuchs), and 29 specimens from the Pyrénées Orientales, I cannot agree with Warren's opinion that the epiphron from the Pyrénées Orientales also has to be included in the subsp. mackeri Fuchs. The race of epiphron flying in the Pyrénées Orientales averages a larger size, and is more strongly built than the race from the Vosges. The specimens from the Pyrénées Orientales show more brilliant colours. The red­brown or yellow­red on the underside of the forewing of the tf, respectively the 99» radiates from the bands to the base of the wing. The principal character is, however, presented by the much wider but shorter bands in the forewings of the new subsp., which bands are totally replaced by the ground­colour in the last segment of the wing, and partially so in the penultimate segment; they almost appear NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS EREBIA 273 horizontally cut off. This new race may be named subsp. orientpyrenaica nov. subsp. Holotype: tf, Mont Canigou, VII 1928, J. Staettermayer; allotype: Ç, Mont Canigou, VIII 1927, J. Staettermayer, paratypes.: 7 tftf, Mont Canigou; 2 tftf Val d'Eyne; 3 tftf, 1 9> Vernet les Bains; 9 tf tf, 5 99, Cambre d'Ase; all in the Mezger collection. One tf from the Catalonian Pyrenees nearly approaches the subsp. orientpyrenaica nov. subsp., but has narrower and longer bands on the forewings. Erebia epiphron (Knoch) subsp. orientpyrenaica nov. subsp. ab. dis- persa nov. ab. One tf from Mont Canigou shows the bands in the forewings radiating in the direction of the base of the wings. This aberration may be called dispersa nov. ab. Holotype : tf, Mont Canigou, VII 1928, J. Staettermayer, in the Mezger collection. Erebia epiphron (Knoch) subsp. pyrenaica H.­S. ab. obsoleta nov. ab. Two tftf from Gavarnie show the tendency to blackening of this race in an extreme manner. They are plain black­brown above as well as below. Of the markings only small spots separated by the brown ground­colour and enclosing the four minute black pupils in the forewings are faintly visible. Holotype: tf, Gavarnie, Hautes Pyrénées, 25 VII 1935; paratype: tf, Gavarnie; both in the Mezger collection. This aberration agrees with its homonym described by Tutt of the subsp. memnon (Haw.) Erebia pharte (Hb.) In his monograph Warren adds the specimens of 'pharte" from Carinthia to the subsp. eupompa Frhst., those from Vorarlberg to the typical race. In Carinthia representatives of the two races appear to meet. According to their appearances and the diagnosis of E. pharte (Hb.), respectively of the subsp. eupompa Frhst., the Carinthian specimens should be distributed over the two races. The large series in hand from Nest­Gehr, Eastern Vorarlberg, however, without doubt belongs to the subsp. eupompa Frhst. Erebia pharte (Hb.) subsp. eupompa Frhst. ab. reducta nov. ab. The subsp. eupompa Frhst. also has representatives with reduced bands ; this reduction naturally does not go as far as in the f. pellene Frhst. This deviation from the type of the race may be named ab. reducta nov. ab. Holotype: tf, Rotwand, Bavarian , 21 VII 1917; allotype: 9, Nebel­ horn, Oberstdorf, Allgäu, 26 VII 1917, Ε. Möbius; paratypes: ι tf, Rei­ Zoologische Mededeelingen, XXVI 18 274 CURT EISNER

chenstein, Styria ; ι , Carniolla, Crna prst, Dobovsek, Laibach ; ι , Nest Gehr, Eastern Vorarlberg; ι tf, First, Eastern Vorarlberg, all in the Mezger collection. Erebia aethiops (Esp.) ab. perfusa + semicaeca nov. ab. One cf (pátria ignota) has broadened bands with diluted inner edges. In the forewing there are four relatively small black spots, of which only the two apical ones, which have still the white pupils, are left on the under side ; on the upper side of the hindwing the two inferior spots only are left as mere black points. Holotype : cf, pátria ignota. Erebia trianus (De Prun.) ab reducta nov. ab. A Q from the Alpes Maritimes has the bands reduced on the upperside of the forewings; the bands of the hindwings for the greater part are replaced by the ground­colour and consist of round spots separated by the ground­colour along the nervures. Holotype: 9, Alpes Maritimes, in the Mezger collection. (In the 99 °f tne subsp. eurykleia Frhst. and the subsp. letincia Frhst. the reduction of the bands appears to belong to the racial characters; in a 9 from Zermatt the band of the forewing is even interrupted by the ground­ colour in the posterior segments). Erebia medusa (Schiff. & Dennis) I might remark beforehand, that the very rich material of this Erebia which I could examine does not match the diagnoses by the authors, but when I arrange the specimens as to their habitus, I am—on the other hand —unable to follow the regional division into several subspecies drawn up by Warren in his monograph. From Orsova for instance I have specimens, which should be assigned about for one half to the typical subspecies, for the other half to the subsp. psodea (Hb.). Is not psodea (Hb.) perhaps yet a local form? Can it not be that the variation of E. medusa (Schiff. & Dennis), as far as the development of the bands and the colour is con­ cerned, is controlled by the climatic conditions in each flying season, and that the various subspecies have not yet got a constant habitus, characteristic of each of them? For want of enough special knowledge I do not venture to answer this question, but I should like to point out in connection with what is stated above, that in Parnassius the development of the markings and of the colour differs very much in the different years and that this fact does not determine the facies of the separate races at all. Yet there exists a general tendency for the direction of the development of "medusa", which is given by the local climate. The Bulgarian specimens in hand are marked rather poorer than the typical "medusa", they do not at all remind of psodea NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS EREBIA 275

(Hb.) and certainly belong to subsp. euphrasia Frhst. What Warren writes concerning this subspecies I cannot but confirm, and it applies to specimens from the Herzegovina too; the representatives of "medusa" from Serbia, also from the localities mentioned by Fruhstorfer in the description of subsp. narona, cannot be separated from those from Bulgaria. The spec• imens from appear to me to be typical 'medusa" rather than to belong to the subsp. brigobanna Frhst. Yet I might not decide this question, as I examined a one-sided although rich material, but only encourage specialists to pay attention to the questions roused above. Erebia medusa (Schiff. & Dennis) subsp. brigobanna Frhst. ab. tf grisea nov. ab. Ground-colour of both wings grey-brown instead of black brown. Holotype : tf, Oswitz, 28 V, in the Mezger collection. Erebia medusa (Schiff. & Dennis) subsp. brigobanna Frhst. ab. tf masculina nov. ab. 99 with the bands strongly reduced on both wings, and with the bands coloured brown red instead of yellow-red, may be called masculina nov. ab. Only the two anterior markings in the forewing are joined in a brown band spot, the other markings are surrounded by a narrow brown ring only. These 99 look ^ke normal tftf. Holotype: Q, Bad Ems; paratypes: 2 99 Vieux Moulin; 2 99 (belong• ing to the subsp. narona Frhst.), Koricna, Bosnia; all in the Mezger collection. Erebia medusa (Schiff. & Dennis) subsp. turkestana nov. subsp. Warren mentions, sub subsp. polaris Stg., the statement of Herz, that the form of medusa from Witim and Mongolia is identical with "polaris", but doubts if it is true. The development of the eastern representatives of "medusa" yet appears to go in this direction. At all events a tf from Tscheljabinsk, Turkestan, which I examined, shows a close relation to the subsp. polaris Stg. It is, however, larger, 15 mm, of a dark ground-colour, and on the underside of the hindwing the submarginal band contrasts with a sharper edge against the darker basal part, about as in fig. 1048 (subsp. uralensis Stg.) on pi. 78 of Warren's monograph. Forewing with 4, hind- wing with 3 small, white centred markings in narrow brown rings, of which on the underside only the two apical markings of the forewing are clearly visible. (To this subspecies almost certainly also a tf belongs which is labelled—without doubt erroneously—Asia minor). This race may be called subsp. turkestana nov. subsp. Holotype: tf, Tscheljabinsk, Turkestan, W. Siberia, 1913, G. von Ren- nenkampf ; paratype : tf, "Asia minor", De Gavere. 276 CURT EISNER

Erebia pluto (De Prun.) A cTQ from the Mont Blanc district without doubt belongs to the typical species. A rather large series from the P. Umbrail, with white centred black spots on the forewings, contrary to Warren's supposition, are to be classified as subsp. velocissima Frhst. A single cf from the Gross Glockner cannot be distinguished from the cf cf from Triglave and should consequently be included in the subsp. triglavensis Schaw. Erebia aethiopellus (Hoffmsg.) ab. obscura nov. ab. 99 in which the bands on the upperside of the hindwings are for a great part replaced by the ground-colour. Holotype: Q, Ligurian Alps, 1600 m; paratype: 9» Monte Matto, Val- dieri; both in the Mezger collection. Erebia tyndarus (Esp.) subsp. dolomitensis Wrn. Specimens from the Rolle Pass which I examined in great number, and which as for the rest agree well with the diagnosis of the race, are by no means small, but rather show the size and strong build of the subsp. rondoui Obth. Further I might remark that the 3 black spots on the hind- wings lack the white centres, which is in agreement with Goltz's diagnosis, called misleading by Warren. Erebia pronoë (Esp.) f. almangoviae S tg. In the first place it may be stated that the series in hand, from Oberst• dorf, Allgäu, not at all consists of small representatives of this species ; they rather average the size of the typical form; their bands, it is true, are reduced, their spots smaller, but yet they show white centred spots, and equally spots on the hindwings. The characters, reduction of the bands, decreasing of the spots, occur in the whole range of the typical form in a larger or smaller percentage. Consequently I doubt whether almangoviae Stg. can stand as a local form or should be considered as a general aber• ration of the typical form. Erebia pronoë (Esp.) subsp. vergy (Ochs.) Subsp. vergy (Ochs.) is by no means a very small race, but neither it is, as Warren asserts, the largest subspecies of E. pronoë (Esp.). The rich material which I examined permits me to state that subsp. vergy (Ochs.) on an average is of middle size, and that its representatives increase in the West of , whereas in the East of that country smaller specimens prevail. Erebia pronoë (Esp.) subsp. tarcenta Frhst. In the Northern Dolomites also chiefly representatives of E. pronoë (Esp.) occur which belong to the subsp. gardeina Schaw. It may be men• tioned that this race also occurs in the Trentino; the Trentino specimens NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS EREBIA 277 cannot be separated from typical representatives of this race, the tftf merely show slightly more brown­red in the forewings. Erebia lefebvrei (Boisd.) The f. rowlandi Wrn., which the author classes with the typical sub­ species, and which he only mentions from the Basses Pyrénées, undoubted­ ly also occurs in the Hautes Pyrénées and the Pyrénées Orientales; at all. events 7 from 12 tftf which I examined from the localities Gèdre and Mt. Canigou show the characters of the f. rowlandi Wrn. Cannot this be only a deviating form pertaining to the variability of the species, which is not bound to a locality? For want of material I do not venture to take a decision, although I could ascertain the same relation between subsp. astur Obth. and f. pyrenaea Obth. in a rather large series from Cambres d'Ase. In my opinion the ab. intermedia Obth. of f. pyrenaea Obth. has to be can­ celled at all events, because the f. pyrenaea Obth., when the forewing shows brown­red colour on the underside, shows at least traces of it on the upper­ side too. With the distinction between astur Obth. and pyrenaea Obth. this subspecies is sufficiently characterised. Erebia lefebvrei (Boisd.) f. rowlandi Wrn. ab. asturides nov. ab. One tf of the f. rowlandi Wrn. from Gèdre lacks the black markings on the upper­ and underside of the hindwing. This aberration may be named asturides nov. ab. Holotype: tf, Gèdre, Hautes Pyrénées, in the Mezger collection. Erebia lefebvrei (Boisd.) subsp. astur Obth. ab. rowlandides nov. ab. On the contrary 6 tftf from Cambres d'Ase, belonging to the subsp. astur Obth., show 3 clear, white centred, black spots. This aberration may be called rowlandides nov. ab. Holotype: tf, Mont Canigou, VII 1928, J. Staettermayer; paratypes: 3 tftf Cambres d\Ase; 1 tf Mont Canigou; itf, Nuria, Eastern Pyrenees, Catalonia, VIII 1915, Weiss; all in the Mezger collection. Erebia lefebvrei (Boisd.) subsp. astur Obth. ab. caeca nov. ab. For 2 tftf which lack all markings and of which the wings are conse­ quently plain brown­black I propose the name ab. caeca nov. ab. Holotype and paratype: tftf, Cambres d'Ase, VII 1928, J. Staetter­ mayer, in the Mezger collection. Erebia scipio Boisd. ab. Ç flavescens nov. ab. В. scipio Boisd. is a little variable and hardly digryph species. The ÇQ strongly resemble the tftf; they only are somewhat lighter than these and generally show 4 black spots in the forewing and 3 in the hindwing. There­ fore an almost yellow, on the underside white­yellow Ç, which may be 278 CURT EISNER

referred to as ab. flavescens nov. ab., is the more remarkable. It may be observed that this 9 lacks the black spots on the hindwing. Holotype: 9» pátria ignota, from the Heylaerts collection. Erebia stirius (Godt.) subsp. gyrtone Frhst. ab. expupillata nov. ab. In his monograph Warren already refutes the diagnosis of this race by its author, which states among other things that the hindwings of subsp. gyrtone Frhst. show well developed black spots, just as the f. nerine (Frr.). The contrary is rather the case; a çf from the typical locality, the Gross- glockner, completely lacks the black spots, which occurs but rarely in Erebia stirius (Godt.). This aberration may be called ab. expupillata nov. ab. Holotype : cf, Glockner, 22 VII 1924, in the Mezger collection. I might deal with some other observations on Erebia stirius (Godt.) in this place. I can only assign to the f. nerine (Frr.) of the typical subspecies a series in hand from Gastein, which properly should be classed with the subsp. styx (Frr.). The f. orobica appears to be not constant at all in the Mendel district. From a large series which I had at my disposition the greater part of the specimens belong to the subsp. stelviana Curo, and do not at all show the sense of development described by Turati. Erebia montanus (De Prun.) ab. reducta nov. ab., ab. minorisocellata nov. ab., and ab. luxuriosa nov. ab. The ab. heinrichi Zobel contains of the subsp. homole Frhst. of this species, in which the bands are substituted by the ground-colour; ab. reducta nov. ab., which comprises specimens with reduced bands, repre• sents a transition to that aberration. In the hindwing this development leads to a division of the band into three spots round the markings. Holotype: cf, Brenner, 15 VII 1925; paratype: çf, Hochnissl, Karwen• del, 7500 ft. ; both in the Mezger collection. Often the third marking of the forewing is lacking. Rarely, on the con• trary, the two posterior markings of the hindwing have vanished: ab. minorisocellata nov. ab. Holotype: cf, Lötschental, Wallis, VIII 1919, Ried; paratypes: çf, Crans, Valais; cf, Upper Engadine; all in the Mezger collection. A 9 which shows 5 particularly large markings in the forewing, and 4 also relatively large markings in the hindwing, deserves naming: ab. luxu- riosa nov. ab. Holotype : 9, Pontresina, 8 VIII 1927, in the Mezger collection. Erebia zapateri Obth. ab. ocellaris nov. ab., ab. excessima nov. ab., and ab. fasciata nov. ab. Generally the hindwing of this Erebia is plain black-brown; now and NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS EREBIA 279

then the indication of a marking appears in the ground-colour. One tf, however, clearly shows 3 white centred black spots in rusty brown rings; two other tftf show 2 such markings while a third one is faintly indicated. This aberration may be named ab. ocellaris nov. ab. Holotype: tf, Albaracin, Spain, VII-VHI 1907, J. Fabresse; paratypes:

2 tftf> Albaracin, Spain; all in the Mezger collection. Ab. excessa Pether refers to specimens with a third spot in the forewing. One 9 shows two supplementary white centred spots: ab. excessima nov. ab. Holotype : Q, Albaracin, Spain, VII-VHI 1907, J. Fabresse, in the Mez• ger collection. Two 99 possessing a narrow ochre-yellow band in the hindwing are particularly remarkable; I propose the name ab. fasciata nov. ab. for this aberration. This band begins at the costal margin of the hindwing and nearly reaches the inner margin. Both the type and the paratype show a well developed white centred spot at the end of the band. Holotype: Q, Albaracin, Spain, VII-VIII 1907, J. Fabresse; paratype: 9, Albaracin, Spain; both in the Mezger collection. Erebia neoridas (Boisd.) subsp. pyrenaeensis S.-Stätmyr. Warren deals with pyrenaeensis S.-Stätmyr. as a forma only. As, however, all the 12 specimens from the typical locality, Vernet les Bains, are strongly built, large insects with broader bands and larger markings than neoridas neoridas (Boisd.), which moreover show a rather dark, violet- brown underside, yet I think that the Pyrénées Orientales harbour a good subspecies. Erebia neoridas (Boisd.) ab. parva nov. ab. A tf from Dourbes, Basses Alpes, measures 9 mm only and therefore may be named ab. parva nov. ab. ; moreover it lacks the black spots in the hindwing. Holotype: tf, Dourbes, Basses Alpes, from the Heylaerts collection. Erebia melas (Hbst.) ab. parva nov. ab. Warren rightly observes that the largest specimens of the — on an average — smaller subsp. leonhardi Frhst. do not stand back by the typical race. As to the size subsp. leonhardi Frhst. is remarkably variable ; in the largest cT9 the wing averages 15 mm, but uncommonly small specimens also occur, which I name ab. parva nov. ab. The type measures 9 mm, the allotype 10 mm. Holotype: tf, allotype: Q, and paratypes: 5 tftf, 2 99» Ostaria, Vele- bit, Croatia, VII, Hilf, all in the Mezger collection. Erebia meolans (De Prun.) subsp. guttata Gltz. 28ο CURT EISNER, NEW FORMS IN THE GENUS EREBIA

Warren unites the subsp. guttata described by Goltz as a forma with the subsp. stygne (Ochs.). That is certainly not right. Goltz used "stygne" as a species name and therefore spoke of "Erebia stygne guttata". But, judging from the rich material in hand—among which there are cotypes of the subsp. guttata Goltz—the insects from the Vosges belong by no means to the group of subsp. stygne (Ochs.), but rather join the subsp. posidonia Frhst. Subsp. guttata Goltz doubtlessly is a good subspecies, showing with subsp. posidonia Frhst. the lighter, more female bands, char­ acteristic for that subspecies, but differing from it by the bands being often interrupted by the ground­colour and by the inner edge of the bands being mostly wedge shaped and not drop shaped. Erebia meolans (De Prun.) subsp. guttata Gltz. ab. feminina nov. ab. In two cfcf the bands are nearly crimson­red on the upper­ and underside. This deviation I name ab. feminina nov. ab. Holotype: cf, Viel Armand, 15 VI 1935; paratype: cf, Viel Armand; both in the Mezger collection. Erebia pandrose (Bkh.) ab. uniformis nov. ab. Specimens with for the rest normal colouring, in which the red­brown of the bands has vanished on the upperside, so as to make the whole wing plain grey­green may be called ab. uniformis nov. ab. Holotype : cf, Simplon, 6 VIII 1930 ; paratype : cf, Simplon ; both in the Mezger collection.